Walking Back
by Tsukika
Summary: As his vision faded around the edges and each breath became shallower and shallower Rick's last thought was: "God, if only I had known then what I do now." Rick/Daryl, Spoilers Season 4 Episode 5
1. Pilot

"Walking Back"

Rick/Daryl

Tags: Rick/Daryl, Major Character Death, except they get better, implied established relationship, Time-travel, Zombies, takes place after S4 E5,

Rick cursed as adjusted his grip on Daryl. They had gotten separated from everyone else. The other man was limping something fierce from a bullet he'd taken in the thigh. Carl had run back to up to the prison when bullets had begun to fly. Rick prayed that he had been able to collect his sister and anyone who had survived the epidemic and fled. Tyreese and the Army doctor—Bob?—had come out to help but both had been gunned down. Rick had yet to see Michonne, he wasn't sure if that was good thing or not as he stared the Governor in the face.

The man never flinched as bullets whizzed past his head and walkers lumbered up to him. Just efficiently dodged and eliminated threats with deadly intent. Daryl continued to lay cover fire as the pair tried to make their way up the prison yard to where there was more cover. Suddenly pain seared across his nerves and he choked at the intense fire now in his chest. He remembered this agony from when he'd been shot more than a year ago, before this apocalypse had started. The two men crumpled, the bullet having passed through Daryl's chest before fragmenting into Rick's. Morbidly, Rick thought that it might have even entered in the same place as that bullet from, what seemed to be, another life.

He turned his head to see Daryl struggling for his last breaths. The man had been loyal to him almost from the start and Rick's foolish inability to eliminate the Governor, to treat him as the threat he was, had gotten his partner killed. Daryl had been the one to take his burdens when Rick had crumpled under the weight of Lori's death. Daryl had been the one to help him heal, to help him be intimate with someone again. Looking at the man who had become like another part of him Rick regretted the decisions he'd made that brought them to this. As his vision faded around the edges and each breath became shallower and shallower his last thought was: "God, if only I had known then what I do now."

Disoriented. Rick concluded as he found himself staring at a white ceiling. That was probably what he was feeling right now. Looking to the left he thought he might be in a hospital.

"Hershel?" He croaked. No answer. He turned his head the other way and his eyes alighted on a familiarly hideous vase. Its gaudy blue faux-china print and withered flowers caused a feeling of dread to settle in the pit of his stomach. This room… it was the same one he'd woken up in when the world had first ended. Somehow he was back at the beginning of this entire apocalypse mess. Gingerly he levered himself out of bed and shuffled over to the en suite bathroom for some water. He opened the blinds and stared out at the ruined world.

Eventually he managed to bring himself to venture out of the quiet sanctuary of his hospital room. He stole the shoes off a nearby corpse and took the dark stairwell down but just before exiting the building he stopped. Except for the walkers barricaded down the hall from his room he hadn't seen any. If the walkers had only recently cleared out there might be some supplies to be scavenged out of the now abandoned hospital. Rick leaned against the wall and considered his situation. He was unarmed in a building that had been overrun at some point. Was the possibility of antibiotics worth the risk? He thought of all of the people in Cell Block A, and decided that yes, it was worth the risk.

He carefully picked his way over to the hospital's pharmacy without coming across any walkers. The pharmacy itself was a mess but it didn't look like it had been raided yet. The only problem was that he didn't have anything to carry the meds in. He ended up emptying a former nurse's overlarge purse and using that instead. Vaguely he recalled Hershel advising Daryl to grab anything with a "-cin" or "-cilin" at the end and found that some of the labels described what they were, like "anti-viral" and "steroid". In the end the purse was bulging with all he'd grabbed as he stepped into the sunlight and turned towards home.

It was depressing, Rick concluded, seeing his home so empty. He tried not to stare at the blank white walls as he methodically changed into some proper clothes and moved the medicine into a larger duffle bag. This had been his home; a symbol of his and Lori's commitment and love. He had confessed to Daryl once, late one night after the Governor had disappeared, how much it had hurt him to enter the camp at the quarry and _see_ Shane and Lori's relationship. The pain of knowing that they had been fucking for a while with just a glance had been agonizing. He had moved on, allowed Lori to settle back at his side and ignored Shane's jealous looks with that pain churning in his stomach. He understood that she had thought him dead but for her to turn around and sleep with another man when he'd only been dead for a few weeks—it said so very much about her loyalty to him. Their marriage had essentially been over the night Shane had died. Even then it had taken six months for Rick to even feel tempted. And, while she probably hadn't cheated on him before the world went to hell, she hadn't seemed to care enough to mourn him for very long either. All of this moved through his mind as he diligently packed away any food that had been left in the pantry and what was left of their toiletries. With that done he tried to think of what else might be useful before he remembered his father's Bluejacket Manual—a sailor's handbook, full of survival tips and knots and other things a sailor might need to know—being in their office. Thinking that it might have some handy information he decided to try and find it before locating Morgan and Duane.

Hidden at the back of the bookshelf he found a sheaf of papers. Rick's knees buckled when he realized that he was holding divorce papers in his hands. His chest ached. Had Lori truly been so unhappy? If at this point she had already given up on their marriage he can understand now why she was so quick to jump into bed with Shane after his proclaimed death. Rick knew that when he met up with the group at the quarry that he could pretend to have never found these papers, that he could do as before and bury the betrayal he felt and try to keep his family together, but he wasn't sure that he was strong enough to carry the burden of knowing their future, leading them all and enduring the pain. His and Lori's separation would be hard on their family but they were strong and maybe Shane wouldn't become as unhinged without Rick as a romantic competitor. He only allowed himself a few moments to grieve the end of their marriage before getting up, gathering his supplies, and leaving his former home forever.

Duane still ended up hitting him over the head with his shovel; and Rick found himself more grateful for them taking him in this time than he had the first time he had lived this life. He now knows what it takes to trust someone in the new world, and the cost of each meal. This time, Rick insisted that the pair went with him to Atlanta. Morgan was reluctant to move on from where his wife's corpse wandered but Rick couldn't live with knowing their fate if he let them stay. Eventually he managed to convince them to join him.

They combined the gas from their cars and got a lot closer to Atlanta but still ran out before making it into the city. Morgan told Rick to go ahead and find the refugee camp. The road was empty and open so the pair would be fine until he could come back for them with another car or more people to help carry the supplies. Rick was leery about leaving them alone but he knew that there was no way all three of them would survive the masses of walkers in the city itself.

Despite his best effort to not repeat his mistakes he still found himself driving out of Atlanta without Merle Dixon. On one hand Rick had to admit that he was glad Merle wasn't with them. The Daryl of this time would never open up and realize his own strength with Merle around to constantly belittle him. On the other hand, he felt like he was betraying his Daryl by leaving his brother to fend for himself. At least the addict hadn't been left chained to the roof this time. There was no reason to return to Atlanta and Rick knew he had to do something to help Guillermo and the Vatos before a group came through and killed them. Maybe he could convince everyone to go back into Atlanta for some of the much needed melee weapons?

Rick had employed the same tactic as before to escape the city, telling Glenn about Morgan and allowing him to flash by in his hotrod red sports car. Morgan had the car alarm disengaged before Rick had pulled up in the box van. They transferred the gas from the sports car into Morgan's hatchback and grabbed the battery and anything else that might be useful before abandoning it across the open lane of the Highway with a sign warning travelers away from the city. Morales drove the van while Rick followed him. Glenn spent the first part of the drive watching the red car diminish into the distance while sighing despondently. Rick had forgotten how young and immature the former pizza boy had been at the start of all this and the dramatics earned him a chuckle. The camp was a raucous cheer of activity when they pulled up and everyone began to seek out their family members. He was happy to see them all healthy, whole, and together.

"DAD!" He heard his son cry and seeing Carl, still so young and innocent, took his breath away. Rick collapsed to his knees, clutched at his son and took comfort in the familiar feel of Lori's arms around him. The reunion was ruined when he caught the speaking glance between Lori and Shane. When he averted his gaze away it landed on someone he didn't expect to see. Daryl. Not only was he in camp when he should have been hunting, but there was recognition in his eyes. He _knew_ Rick. The redneck chuckled at seeing his surprise.

"What'd ya do ta earn this fresh Hell?" He asked, familiar wry grin on his lips. Rick just laughed and clutched his son tighter. It was _his_ Daryl, the same one who had had his back for two years, who had walked away from his brother for him, died with him. That's when Rick knew that it would all be alright. Rick knew they would survive this because he had Daryl at his side and the pair of them; they could do anything.


	2. Episode 2: Guts

Walking Back Episode 2: Guts

Rick and Daryl clasped arms and pulled each other into a brief embrace once Carl and Lori let go, earning them both confused looks. Rick ignored the looks and set about trying to talk to Lori privately. It was surprisingly easy to distract Carl with the task of helping Morgan and Duane set up one of the group's spare tents. With Carl and Shane occupied with the new members of the group and Daryl sent off with a look, Rick was able to pull Lori away for a private conversation in "their" tent. When they were alone she was quick to cup his face with her hands and lean up to kiss him tenderly. But before she could he grasped her hands in his and put them between their bodies.

"When I was at the house," He began, "I thought that my father's Bluejacket manual might have useful information in it." Her face paled, remembering what had been stashed away behind the manual he was talking about. The evidence of that foolish decision which she had hidden away like the dirty secret it was. "I found the divorce papers, Lori." He told her as she stepped away from him in horror. In one day her dearest dream and most wretched nightmare had come true. After a moment Rick continued. "I think what bothers me the most is that for all your preaching about how I never talked to you, you couldn't even tell me that you thought our marriage was beyond hope?" He rubbed his face with one hand and blinked the tears away. He couldn't afford to breakdown, this world was too unforgiving for that, and this was only the first heavy conversation of the day. He still had to talk to Carl, and Daryl didn't know that he'd banished Carol before they'd been shot. Lori's eyes were brimming with tears and she opened her mouth a few times as if to speak but no words came out. After a moment he continued.

"And then I walked into camp and I can see how you and Shane are together, that I wouldn't have even been cold in the ground before you—"He stopped and looked away from her tear streaked face. The pain in his chest was almost unbearable. She clutched his sleeve trying to explain herself through her sobs.

"He told me you were dead, and he took care of us, and with everything going on I felt so dead inside. I just wanted to feel alive again, Rick. You don't know what it's like in this-this hell." She cried. Trying to plead with him, to justify herself and earn his forgiveness.

"I woke up alone in an abandoned hospital; not knowing what was going on or if you and Carl were safe. And you were _fucking_—"He spat, angry and hurt. She flinched back from his angered whisper, each word like a physical blow. "—you were fucking my best friend when I've only been unconscious for two and a half months!" He hissed, careful not to raise his voice and draw anyone's attention.

"He told me you were dead." She whimpered, shaking with shame and pain and fear of what ugliness he'd say next. He was quiet for a moment, gathering himself, hands clenching and unclenching uselessly by his side.

"I think you were right." She looked up at him with hope in her face. "Our marriage is beyond repair. The State of Georgia doesn't really exist anymore to grant us a divorce, but they also aren't really around to uphold our marriage either. I guess we'll just have to move on from today as separate people. You'll be Lori Miller and I'll be Rick Grimes and Carl—"He swallowed, unable to look at her face anymore. "—Carl will stay with whoever he wants to stay with." When she didn't immediately say anything he turned and left the tent. Daryl stood a couple yards away leaning against a tree with all the casual and dangerous fluid grace of a great feline. He stepped in front Rick, deliberately barring his path until the taller man gave in and slumped into him, taking comfort in his presence. Theirs was a relationship of easy silences and subtle affection. Daryl didn't have to touch him at all to make him feel better.

"We'll need to talk later to figure out what we're going to do. I should also probably tell you about our Carol—"Rick murmured into his shoulder.

"None of tha's goin' anywhere for a while. I'll wake ya up for my shift at watch, we'll talk then. In the meantime ya should prolly talk to ya boy." Daryl soothed. He threaded his fingers through Rick's hair once before prodding the other man to stand up straight. It was just in time too as Lori chose that moment to leave the tent, eyes still obviously red-rimmed and puffy. She kept her head down as she pushed past them towards one of the clothes lines. Rick sighed, he still loved Lori and hated that he was causing her pain but at the same time a tight band had been lifted from around his chest and he felt lighter than he had in a long while. He had already mourned their marriage, and he no longer had to hide the pain he felt at her betrayal. There was a certain catharsis to freeing himself from the entanglements of Lori's drama. After a moment of watching her hunched shoulders he headed towards where Morgan and Duane had been settling in.

Carl ran up to him with the biggest smile when Rick came into view. He vaguely recognized the tent closest to Duane and Morgan's as the one Daryl had used on Hershel's farm. Rick smiled and embraced his son for a moment before kneeling so that he was eye level with Carl. Carl's smile faded into a frown of concern. Rick swallowed.

"I love you." He started, combing his fingers through his son's hair affectionately and giving him a small smile. "I—selfishly—have decided to end your mother's and my marriage." Carl looked alarmed. Rick rubbed his shoulders soothingly and continued. "I know that this decision hurts you and I am so sorry, but it was something I had to do because I'm not strong enough to protect you and the group and endure this hurt I'm feeling. Just because I'm not married to your mom anymore does not change my love for you." Rick told him as Carl began to openly cry. His heart ached and he pulled his son into his arms to rock him gently back and forth. "It doesn't even change my love for your mom. All it changes is that we won't be sharing a tent. I'll still protect and provide for her but only as I protect and provide for everybody else in camp." They sat like that for several minutes. Carl crying, and Rick holding him close. Eventually Rick had to continue. "I'll probably bunk down in Daryl's tent. You can sleep with me or your mom; I'll not make you choose between us. Hell, you can sleep with Duane or Shane if it makes you feel better. But I expect you to listen to us when we tell you to do something and to stay within sight of an adult at all times. Ok?" He asked pulling back to see his son's face. Carl nods. "I love you and I will always love you." Rick told him seriously, looking his son in the eye. With a sniffle Carl murmured the sentiment back to him. Rick gave him a sad smile and another hug before sending him off to check on his mother. He watched his son go before quietly collecting his things and putting them in Daryl's tent.

Later that night Carl and Lori sat near Shane on the other side of the fire. Lori kept shooting him angry hurt looks and Carl just stayed slumped against her side, worn out. The group was a lot more subdued this time around until Amy opened her mouth.

"So how does divorce even work during the apocalypse?" She asked, Andrea frantically trying to shush her.

"Same as marriage I suppose." Rick answered honestly. Luckily, before he had to answer any more painful questions about his divorce, Ed Peletier decided to add an extra log to his fire earning him a reprimand from Shane. Rick caught a fierce look on Daryl's face when he looked at Carol's scum of a husband and he put a restraining hand on the hunter's shoulder. Daryl glared around the pit darkly, angry but not at the others. Andrea, who had been subtly watching Daryl most of the night, finally spoke up.

"I'm sorry that your brother was left behind, Daryl." She apologized. "He was a loose cannon but he was still your family and you've done nothing but help us since you joined our group." Daryl grunted and continued hacking angrily away at the stick he was honing into a crossbow bolt.

"He only allowed us ta join so he could rob ya'll blind." Daryl admitted. "We're kin but he always seemed ta be leavin' me behind. Anyways I'm not too worried; he's the toughest sumbitch I know. If anyone can survive this shit it'd be him." Sensing the groups discomfort with Daryl's admission Rick tried to change the topic by calling out to his son.

"Carl?" The boy stirred a bit and mumbled something in response. "You want to go to bed, son? I can carry you to bed in mine and Daryl's tent—or your mom's—if that's what you want." The boy roused a bit more and Rick got up and circled around the fire to his side. Lori glared at him, arm tightening around her son's shoulders.

"Wanna sleep wif you." Carl slurred brushing off his mother's arm to reach for his father. Rick gave her a stern look when she opened up her mouth to protest.

"Let him decide." He rebuked quietly before reaching down and hoisting the nine year old into his arms. He quietly carried the boy into Daryl's tent and laid him down on the bed made of old blankets. Tenderly Rick removed the boy's shoes and tucked them in together so that he could just lay there and savor the peace. The first time the world had ended Rick had been so focused on not being crushed under the weight of the situation he had plowed forward from task to task to avoiding thinking about what had become of the world—neglecting his duties to Carl. While knowing the future was its own burden it was easier, somehow, this time around.

At around 10 at night Rick woke to Daryl shaking his shoulder. Carefully Rick tried to extract himself from Carl's slumbering sprawl. The boy slept deeply, not stirring the slightest as the two men left the tent. Rick waved to Morales as the man passed off the rifle and headed to bed. Quietly they climbed onto the RV and took up watch sitting back to back. After a few moments of silence Daryl spoke up.

"What happened to Carol?" He asked quietly. Rick sighed, rubbing his face.

"She killed David and Karen." He answered after a while. Daryl stiffened. "I talked to her about it, after. She was trying to prevent the disease from spreading. She was sorry it didn't work but didn't regret that she did it. 'Something had to be done.' She said." Rick paused, but Daryl didn't say anything. "I told her that I couldn't have her back at the prison. We filled a car with supplies and she drove off. I'm sorry, Daryl. And I'm sorry that I didn't bring Merle back today. I-"

"Ya don' have ta justify leaving Merle behind." Daryl interrupted. "I admit that I wouldn't be the man I am if he'd come back with ya the first time. As for Carol, well, I guess ya have a chance ta make up for that now, dontcha?" Rick heaved a sigh, happy that they could move beyond these hurts. He leaned back so that his head rested on the huntsman's shoulder.

"I'm glad that I get this chance. I've been trying to think of how we're going to save everybody, and it's such a mess. I'm not sure I could do it with you hating me too." Rick admitted quietly. They sat in silence for a while enjoying the peace of the night. "I'd like to help Guillermo and the Vatos somehow, it doesn't sit right with me, knowing that in four days they'll be dead if we don't do something." Rick announced. Daryl didn't answer. "I know that going into Atlanta is a risk, especially since we have the guns already. But, I was thinking, maybe you could leave on a hunting trip and visit them instead? No, the city is too dangerous for one person, Glenn shouldn't have been sent on his own—"Rick began to ramble, thinking out loud.

"I don't think there's much that can be done even if we do warn them." Daryl interrupted. "But, if ya want to try, the group needs more long knives an' crowbars and whatever. Start training people to protect themselves wi'out a gun, save ammo for later. Glenn an' I can go inta the city tomorrow lookin' for weapons and signs of Merle. I'll stop at the nursing home an' try ta warn 'em. We'll be back by dark and help when tha' herd passes through." Rick smiled.

"Thank you." He said. Daryl scoffed and shifted uncomfortably at the praise. "How are we going to meet Hershel and the rest of the group? I don't want for Carl to get shot again or to lose Sophia, but I can't think of how else we might meet the Greene family. Lori's pregnant by now, and—"

"They're our family too. After more'n a year with 'em I wouldn't rest easy not having 'em with us and knowin' that herd'll be passing through. Nah, better we find a way. I'll take another tumble down a ravine so we have an excuse ta stay in the area if I have ta." Daryl asserted. Rick snorted.

"I really hope it doesn't come to that. We'll head that way and pass the farm when we back track because of the jam on the highway. Hopefully that will get us started without any injuries." He decided.

"I was thinking—"

"No, I don't believe it. Daryl Dixon, thinking." Rick teased earning him a shove.

"Shaddup." Daryl grumbled at him before continuing. "I was thinking tha' herd probably woulda completely passed the farm 'cept that Shane decided to shoot the place up at the wrong time. Maybe, without the need to compete with ya for Lori, we can keep his trigger happy ass in line. Keep the farm for the winter, or longer, if Woodbury don't find us."

"We're going to have to deal with Woodbury and the Governor eventually, but I agree, it'd be better to spend the winter at the farm if we can. Maybe move to the prison in the spring. It's easier to fortify, safer." Rick agreed, stretching. "If you're going to go into town tomorrow you'll need your sleep. I'll finish your watch. I wake that skinny guy, Peters?, at dawn, right?" Daryl answered affirmatively, getting up and passing the rifle over. Rick watched him climb down from the RV and duck into the tent before he settled himself in for a long night.

..oo00OO00oo..

Rick woke Daryl up when he came in off his watch. Shane gave Daryl the evil eye from the fire pit Carol was cooking breakfast at. Rick must have told his former partner the plan because the man didn't say anything but Daryl could tell he wanted to. Glenn took some effort to wake. The Korean man was always tough to rouse but Daryl managed using what he'd learned over the 18 months living with him. Glenn groaned at the idea of going back into the city so soon but didn't argue with the terse redneck. The pair took off for the city in Daryl's truck before most of the camp was even awake.

Daryl was frustrated to find that most of the pawn shops and sporting goods stores they came across had already been picked through. The pair of them still managed to collect a decent amount of weapons and supplies by the time they had worked their way to the nursing home where the Vatos were holed up. Looking at the sun, Daryl figured it was close enough to noon to warrant eating lunch. Neither of them had eaten breakfast, Daryl insisted, because the quicker they adjusted to only one or two meals a day the easier it would be to stretch food when it got lean in the winter. They sat in a corporate office to eat their lunch of crackers washed down with coke and Daryl took the time to separate out the three duffle bags of stuff they'd collected. He lifted a tile out of the ceiling and carefully balanced the two fullest ones on some nearby interior supports, when they didn't come crashing back down through the ceiling he replaced the tile and turned to Glenn.

"We're gonna go see some people I know. I need ta convince them ta get outta the city in the next day or two." Daryl told him. "Ya shit for secrets so I won't tell you. I know yeh've got a crap poker face – don't bother askin' me any questions." He pointed at Glenn with one grubby finger. "Seriously, don't say anythin'." Glenn spluttered, affronted, as Daryl slug the remaining bag over his shoulder and left the building.

The pair made their way to the Vatos' hideout without any problems. Daryl kept an eye out for any lookouts and frowned when he didn't see any. In fact, until they had ducked through the broken window they didn't see anyone who was alive.

"Stop right there _puto_!" A gang member demanded from a second story window. Daryl put his hands up watching Glenn nervously do the same.

"I'm here to see Guillermo." Daryl told them eyeing the muscle coming out of the big industrial door. The slim janitor was the last out of the building. He eyed the bag slung over Daryl's shoulder speculatively. "I'd like ta talk ta ya, privately." Daryl told him. The Vatos members laughed. "As a show that I'm not here ta hurt ya I'll leave the bag and my friend with Felipe while he does his rounds with the old farts." Glenn backed up in alarm protesting that he wasn't going anywhere with some gangster. Guillermo looked at him suspiciously.

"How did you know about the elderly?" He asked.

"Ya won't know if we don't talk." Daryl evaded, slipping the duffle bag off his shoulder and passing it back to a reluctant Glenn. Guillermo nodded to his crew and led them inside. Once they were in the nursing home the guy Daryl vaguely recognized as Felipe gestured for Glenn to follow him while Daryl followed the Vatos' leader. Once the office door was closed behind them Daryl spoke up.

"Ya need ta get yer people outta the city." Guillermo stiffened. "A group is gonna come through the area in the next couple 'a days and kill everyone here."

"Your group, I'm guessing." Guillermo accused. Daryl laughed self-depreciatingly.

"Man, my group's a quarter yer size and we only have six fighters. It'd be suicide. I don't know who the group is. All I know is that if ya die—bitten or not—ya don't stay that way, and in three days this place will've been raided and anyone still here will be dead." Guillermo still didn't look convinced.

"Most of the old ones can't go to the bathroom by themselves. Getting them out of the city is just a pipe dream." Guillermo told him and Daryl gave an exasperated sigh.

"Just haul their fuckin' asses into a buncha vans, load up a truck with whate'er ya got and get the hell outta dodge. Or, you could not listen ta me and whatever assholes are comin' ta take yer stuff will kill you all. Fuckin' whatever." Daryl vented throwing up his hands. "There's sum rifles, ammo, an' food in the duffle, you keep it. Hopefully yeh'll use it to get outta here." He answered before storming out. Glenn was so surprised to see him he nearly dropped the Chihuahua he was holding. "Leave the bag and let's fuckin' go." Daryl growled at him. Glenn hurriedly handed the dog over to a nearby old lady and shoved the bag into a startled Vato's hands before running after the fuming redneck. Felipe sidled up to a frowning Guillermo.

"What'd the white boy want?" Guillermo frowned, deciding what they would do if the redneck was wrong, and what they'd do if he was right.

"How soon can we get some vehicles running and load everybody up?" He asked, turning to the former nurse.


	3. Episode 3: Tell it to the Frogs

Walking Back episode 3: Tell it to the Frogs

*For those who were confused about the end of Chapter two it's referring to a deleted scene that was meant to go between seasons 1 and 2. After the CDC explosion the group decides to spend the night with Guillermo and company only to find that they've all been executed. After barricading themselves in the looted nursing home and spending the night they consolidate vehicles and move on.

Rick woke up to the sound of insects and people bustling about and chatting quietly amongst themselves. He found some clean clothes just inside the tent flap gladly changed into them. As he walked toward the RV and the center of camp he said hello to several survivors he didn't even remember. Carol was near one of the fire pits with an ironing board. Part of him felt uncomfortable interacting with her, knowing that he had exiled his version of her. He noticed his clothes on one end of her ironing board and knew he had to go over and thank her.

"Good Morning." He told her.

"Morning" she answered with a tentative smile. "They're still a little damp," she told him, patting the folded uniform. "The sun will have them dry in no time."

"You washed my clothes?" He asked to start a conversation with her.

"Well, best we could. Scrubbing on a washboard ain't half as good as my ol' Maytag at home." She answered keeping her head down and focused on the shirt she was ironing. He leant down and met her eyes.

"That's very kind of you. Thank you." He told her sincerely. She gave him another shy smile and he deliberately allowed himself to be distracted by Dale so that she wouldn't feel too nervous from his attention. Spotting Rick's attention, Dale was quick to wave him over. "Excuse me." He mumbled politely to her before heading over to the older man.

"Ah Rick, I need a bit of a favor. You see, the radiator hose on my RV is going out and I think the one on your box van would be just about the right size. Is there any way you could let me have it?" Dale asked once Rick had walked up to him. Rick thought about it, weighing the van's potential use compared to the RV's. He saw Shane pull up in the Jeep with water for the camp. Absently he realized that he should probably find out how his former partner felt about his return and the divorce and get a feel for what he thought they should do next. Dale coughed to get his attention and Rick turned back to the older man.

"Yeah, I think—"Rick started to say when a scream echoed through the camp. Paling he began to sprint towards Carl's alarmed cries. How had he forgotten about the walker showing up in camp that first morning? He immediately put his hand on the large hunting knife on his belt. Lori was on her knees embracing Carl before he got there and a chorus of "Nothing Bit!" and "Nothing Scratched!" rang out. Duane hovered on the edge of the clearing, afraid to move lest he draw the walker's attention. Shane had his rifle pointed at the creature but was hesitant to fire so close to camp. Without slowing his stride Rick circled the occupied walker so that Duane was shielded from its view and lunged, slamming his knife in its skull before it had time to react. The clearing was silent except for Rick's panting. He looked up to see Shane's surprised face and Lori's appalled one. Carl's face was tucked into her shoulder as he shook in fear. Morgan charged into the clearing, pausing to take in the scene before rushing to his son's side. Wordlessly Rick pulled his knife out of the dead walker's skull and walked over to his son and ex-wife. Some of the other men from camp made it to the downed deer with their weapons at about that time. Rick felt ill at how slow their reaction time was.

"It's the first one we've had up here. They never come this far up the mountain." Dale said, out of breath.

"Well, they're running out of food in the city that's what." Jim replied. Rick joined the discussion once he was sure that Carl was alright.

"We're going to need to move." Rick told them. The other men looked over at his voice. "We can't fortify the perimeter and we can't see far enough for a look out to spot them before they're already on top of us. If we could it would be better for us to set up on the shore of the quarry itself where there are high walls on every side but one."

"The shore's too wet. The tents would flood every night and the vehicles wouldn't fit." Shane argued.

"Exactly, so we need to leave. Find somewhere we can easily defend. Besides, we had snow last winter, do you want to still be living in tents when winter hits in a few months?" Rick asked emphatically, they had been huddling fearfully in this camp, clinging to the remnants of "Before". That had to stop now. They shouldn't give up on being good people but the line between maintaining their humanity and surviving the end of the world was a fine line to walk. He had thought that they had finally figured out a good balance before the epidemic had hit the prison. Carol's actions spoke otherwise.

"We won't be going anywhere until Daryl and Glenn return." Dale told him.

"I still don't understand why they needed to go on another run." Shane said hotly. "It's not safe. Not for them and not for us. There was a walker in camp! We should have every man here!" Shane snarled.

"Weapons." Rick answered, holding up his knife as an example. "We only have so much ammo. The sooner we get in the habit of using knives and clubs, the longer our ammunition will last. Yesterday the group only brought back one pack of supplies between six people and we lost a valuable bag of tools in the process. The two of them know what they are doing. It was worth the risk for them to go." Rick explained carefully. Looking them all in the eye one last time he headed back towards camp passing Andrea and an ill Amy looking at the corpse.

"Shane?" Carl asked a little while later when the man entered camp again. Rick looked over from where he'd been helping dismantle the box van. Shane ruffled Carl's hair, earning him a grin.

"Are you still going to teach me to hunt frogs?" The boy asked. Shane looked over at Lori, who was fussing around one of the campfires, before answering affirmatively. "Can Duane come too?" Carl asked nervously. Shane looked at the boys who were becoming fast friends and told them both to get the fishing net. They both let out a whoop of excitement and raced to Dale, tripping over each other in their excitement. Shane walked over to Rick.

"You've never caught a frog before in your life." Rick told him with a wry smile. Shane chuckled looking at the two boys pestering Dale.

"It's more to keep them out of everybody's hair" Shane admitted. After a moment he turned serious. "You ever gonna tell me how you know Dixon?" He asked giving his friend a side-a-long look. Rick wasn't sure how to answer and didn't say anything. "I've known you my entire life and we've never even been close to knowing somebody like Merle or Daryl Dixon. Lori, your wife—"

"Ex-wife" Rick corrected. Shane pursed his lips.

"Yeah, you and I have to talk about that too. Your ex-wife doesn't know when you could have met Dixon either. C'mon man, throw me a rope here. What's going on in your head right now? Ever since you woke up from your coma you've-you've been different, man." Rick opened his mouth to reply but couldn't think of how to explain what he'd been through.

"I don't even know how to explain it." Rick told him. "I can't be who I was before the world ended, we won't survive that way. But at the same time, I can't let us lose our humanity. It puts us at risk, but if it was easy it wouldn't be worth doin'. I'm just trying to walk the line between the two. As for Daryl, I can't really explain that either, most days it feels like I met him in another life. I'm just glad we have him here to watch our backs." Shane opened his mouth to demand a better answer but Carl and Duane walked up to them before he could. They both put on a smile for the boys and Rick wished them good luck as Shane herded them down to the water.

Once they had salvaged everything they could from the truck Rick headed down to the waterfront. Ed, scum that he was, was leaning against a nearby vehicle "supervising" the women who were hard at work on the laundry. The boys and Shane were splashing around on the other side of the beach. Their laughter was a balm to his soul. Rick walked over to the women.

"Good morning ladies" he greeted tipping a nonexistent hat to them. Andrea shaded her eyes to look up at him.

"Officer, I'd like to report a case of cruel and unusual punishment." She told him with a smile.

"Oh yeah?" He asked. Tucking his thumbs into his belt loops.

"Shane and the boys are over there splashing about and keeping cool while we're slaving away in the sun cleaning their dirty whitey-tighties." She told him gesturing with a soapy shirt. The other women tittered. Rick hummed thoughtfully before scooping up Amy who was standing nearby and starting to wade into the water.

"Here, let me help you with that." He told them before tossing her, shrieking, into the water. He turned to the other ladies with a cocky smirk. "Who wants to be next?" he asked just before Amy resurfaced and jumped onto his back. Startled, he felt himself lose his balance and topple into the water.

"Woman Power!" Amy was cheering with the other ladies when he resurfaced. He laughed and began making his way back to shore. He could see Ed, who was no longer by the shore, say something and Andrea turn to confront him.

"-It's not to listen to some uppity, college educated cooze." He heard Ed say to Andrea before turning to Carol. "C'mon, let's go." He told her beckoning her like a dog.

"I don't think she needs to go anywhere Ed." Andrea told him.

"And I say it's none of your business. Come on now." Jacqui threw down the clothes she was washing and stood next to Andrea.

"Why? So she can show up with fresh bruises, Ed?" The black woman demanded. "Yeah, we've seen them."

"You know what? This ain't none of y'all's business, now c'mon!" Ed demanded, grabbing Carol's arm and pulling her away from the group. Andrea tried to intervene and Ed started yelling. Rick caught his hand before it could come down on Carol's cheek. Rick clenched his jaw in anger but didn't say anything, just looked into the other man's eyes, seeing the cowardice there.

"Let go of your wife right now." Rick told him. He saw Shane approach the group alone out of the corner of his eye but didn't react to the other man. Shane peeled the man's meaty fingers from Carol's arm and helped Rick pull him away from the women. The other man struggled to get free and Shane sent him sprawling with a punch to the jaw. Rick was quick to haul him to his feet.

"Resources are scarce now Ed." Rick told him, throwing his own punch when the other man tried to fight back. "I don't like the idea of wasting any on shitheads like you." He shook the man to make sure he had his attention. "This is your one chance," Rick continued. "Shape up or we ship you out, and we're not going to let you drag sweet little Sophia or Carol with you." Rick threw the man on the ground and Shane was quick to lean over him and yank the man up by his shirt.

"Lay a hand on your wife, your daughter, or anyone else at camp, and you are a dead piece of shit." Shane warned him. "Now let's find something productive for you to do." He dragged the other man up the path to camp.

"Hey Shane?" Rick called. The other man turned back to him. "Where's Carl?"

"His mother came and took him and Duane back to camp." Shane answered a look of anger flashing across his face before he continued pulling Ed up to camp. Rick frowned at his friend's back before he turned to the women to make sure they were alright.

"You ladies ok?" He asked. Carol looked shaken but Amy was already comforting her. Andrea was glaring daggers at Ed's back but seemed alright. Jacqui nodded at him and began to gather up the laundry. They finished the last few articles of clothing and Rick helped them transport it up to camp. Quietly the group cobbled lunch together and Amy and Andrea offered to go fishing for dinner.

Daryl and Glenn returned to camp while they were gone. They were each carrying two duffle bags stuffed full of supplies. Dumping his bags in front of the RV Glenn groaned and collapsed dramatically in the grass nearby. Daryl dropped his burden on top of the other two bags with a grunt and went to get a chair from around one of the fires. Chuckling Rick grabbed a chair and settled in to help the other man sort through the bags.

"Daryl wore you out I'm guessing?" Rick asked the young Asian.

"He's evil. We only stopped for a break twice." Glenn groaned back. "And the man doesn't talk. I mean seriously, we were together for what? Eight hours? And I think that he said maybe 20 words to me if you don't count repeats." Rick laughed and handed off a large crowbar to Morgan. Amy and Andrea came swaggering up to camp with their prize. Morales thanked them as Amy handed one string of fish to him.

"Whoa!" Carl said as Morales teased Lori with the nearly two dozen fish he was holding. He and Duane giggled at the disgusted look on her face. The boys pressed closer to poke at the slimy things.

"Yeah, whoa. Where did you two learn to do that?" Lori asked, taking a drink of water. Andrea opened her mouth to answer but was interrupted by a rather grim Dale.

"I don't want to alarm anyone but, we may have a bit of a problem." Concerned Rick stood up to help but Daryl grabbed his sleeve.

"Your boy's got it." The redneck muttered. "Better we get this sorted so that we have them on hand for tonight." He handed Rick a machete with a pointed look. Rick looked up to see several camp members already following Dale and sat back down. Shane was dragging a fighting Jim back into camp barely half an hour later. Rick stood up when it looked like his partner was going to lash the man to a tree but Daryl tugged him back down.

"What's going on?" Rick asked when Dale walked by with a rag and bucket.

"Jim spent too much time in the sun. He'll be fine with a little time in the shade and some water." Dale assured him before continuing down to where Jim was tied up.

"How are we lookin'?" Shane asked as he walked up to the Winnebago and Rick. Daryl jutted his chin out in Jim's direction. Shane glanced back to where Jim was being fanned by Jacqui. "If we can keep his temperature down for the next few days he should be fine. I'm more concerned by what he was doing before we dragged him down to camp." Daryl and Rick both looked up at him inquiringly. "He was digging graves. A lot of them." Rick frowned, looking at Jim one last time before turning to the bags by his feet.

"Daryl, you want to get these out to everybody while I go over the plan with Shane?" The redneck shrugged and grabbed the bag full of assorted melee weapons, leaving the bags of food and other supplies for Rick to put away. Shane listened as Rick described the formations and tactics he thought the group should all know and helped hash out what safety rules everyone should follow.


	4. Episode 4: Wildfire

Walking Back Episode 4: Wildfire

"Have the weapons all been passed out?" Rick asked when Daryl walked up to them a while later.

"Yeah, Le's hope we don' need 'em." He muttered. Louder he said: "I passed 'em out ta all the other men an' several of the women." He squinted up at Rick. "Your ex-wife was particularly resistant; forbade me from handing one ta Carl. I'm thinking that while the fish are being cooked up we should start training people ta use them." Rick nodded.

"Yeah, I'll gather everybody up in the clearing where the deer fell. You'll keep an eye on the women cooking?" Daryl nodded and started to gather his crossbow, quiver, and the supplies to clean it.

"Everyone!" Rick called moving away from the RV. "Daryl and Glenn went into the city and got several weapons for us. While the feast Andrea and Amy caught us cooks I'd like for everyone else to gather in the clearing where the walker was this morning so we can train with them a bit. We'll go over how to handle weapons safely and effective ways to use them." People started to protest but Rick wouldn't stand for their grumbling. "There was a Walker in camp!" He shouted at them. "If Shane and I hadn't been there how many would be dead? It took almost 10 minutes for Dale, Glenn, Morales, and Jim to grab weapons and reach the threat. Ed and several others didn't respond at all. Everyone needs to carry a weapon and to do that safely everyone needs training. The world as we knew it is gone. The Army and Police aren't here to protect us. Grab whatever weapon Daryl gave you and get to the clearing. Now." He chastised.

Grumbling and fearful people began to obey. Lori and several of the women pointedly ignored him to tend to the campfires and fish. They all pulled their children close when he came near. He stood watching them work for a moment.

"I can't force you to let me teach your children. But I will say that I'd rather my son know how to protect himself and handle the weapons in camp safely, than for him to get killed because of ignorance." Lori stood up to protest but he cut her off. "He will _die_, Lori. He almost died this morning. Do I want him to need to know how to use a weapon? No, but it's better than the alternative." The other mothers flinched but kept a tight hold on their children as he herded Carl towards the other group of survivors. He looked around at the 8 men and 2 women that had gathered for training. Shane sidled over to where he stood with Morgan. Taking a deep breath Rick began.

"I'm glad you all are here. The first rule is that no one goes anywhere alone. Even in camp use the buddy system. It seems stupid now but for all their moanin' and groanin' a Walker can appear out of nowhere, better that you have someone there to help. Next, keep a weapon on you at all times. It's more use to you sheathed at your hip than in your tent. Do not draw your weapon unless it's an emergency." Rick pointed at the two boys. "They are not toys, if you don't take them seriously I'll take them away and you will have to stay beside an adult at all times." He warned them. When they nodded he continued going over the rules. "Walkers don't go down unless you destroy the brain. The easiest way to do that is to aim for the temple—"He tapped his own temple for emphasis "—or through the eye. To kill them will take about as much force as it would to split a watermelon or pumpkin. Don't hesitate, you can't stun them or knock them unconscious. Does everyone understand so far?" They all nodded and he moved on to explaining effective maneuvers and formations. When it started getting too dark he allowed them to go and hoped that they knew enough to survive.

Dinner was a happy affair. Earlier in the day Morales had built up the fire pit so that they could have a larger fire safely. There was plenty of fish to pass around and having full stomachs put everyone in a good, relaxed mood. Even knowing that a group of walkers was going to be passing through in the next hour or two didn't prevent the tension Rick and Daryl had been feeling from easing if only a little bit. Ed was sulking in their tent and no one was really inclined to encourage him to join them.

"I gotta ask you, man. It's been driving me crazy." Morales said as the last of the fish was being passed around and everyone nursed their drinks.

"What?" Dale asked, surprised.

"That watch." Morales answered with a gesture.

"What's wrong with my watch?" Dale asked fiddling with it.

"I see you every day, the same time, winding that thing—" Andrea started nodding in agreement "—like a village priest saying mass." People around the fire started chuckling.

"I've wondered this myself" Jacqui agreed putting aside her plate and leaning back in her chair.

"I'm missing the point." Was Dale's confused reply.

"Unless I've misread the signs, the world seems to have come to an end." She answered.

"But there's you—winding that stupid watch." Morales continued.

"Time. It's important to keep track—isn't it? The days at least." Dale appealed before turning to Andrea. "Don't you think? Andrea? Back me up here." She shakes her head and people chuckle again.

"I like what um, a father said to a son when he gave him a watch that had been handed down through generations." Dale told them. "He said, I give you the mausoleum of all hope and desire, which will fit your individual needs no better than it did mine or my father's before me. I give it to you, not that you may remember time, but that you may forget it, for a moment now and then, and not spend all of your breath trying to conquer it." There was silence as the group soaked in this wisdom.

"You are so weird." Amy told him causing the others to laugh.

"Not me. It's Faulkner. William Faulkner." Dale told her with a smile. Amy got up from here chair attracting her sister's attention

"Where are you going?" Andrea asked, alarmed.

"I have to pee. Jeez, you try to be discreet around here…" Amy grumbled, causing more laughter.

"Hold up." Daryl called, standing. "We collected some toilet paper in town. I'll give it to ya." He walked her over to his truck and handed her several rolls before escorting her to the RV and lingering by the door. When she had finished her business she stood in the door way to thank him, a Walker came around the open door and grabbed her arm. Daryl was quick to kill it with his buck knife before it had a chance to bite down on her arm. Her scream attracted the attention of most of the group. While they were distracted a rotting pair of arms reached out of the dark and pulled Jacqui back to take a chunk out of the poor woman's neck.

"Walkers!" Rick shouted in warning. "Keep together and move towards the RV!" He ordered whipping out his pistol and ushering those nearest to him away from the woods. He saw Daryl push Amy into the relative safety of the RV and begin killing any Walkers circling around the sides of the large vehicle. Shane stood his ground and took out any threats approaching from the lane of tents. They managed to keep the bulk of their group together and make their way up to the RV itself. With non-combatants out of the way and only one entrance, it was a lot easier for 7 fighters to defend the vehicle.

People who had been sitting at other campfires managed to stick together and defend themselves long enough to join those fighting in front of the RV. Within ten minute the 26 walkers were dead. Stunned, everyone looked around at the aftermath of the battle. One of people who had been around another campfire groaned in pain a ways away. A few tents had holes in them from Shane's shotgun. Corpses littered the ground around them. Sobs could be heard from inside the Winnebago.

"Is anyone hurt?" Rick asked, holstering his knife and gun. Most people answered in the negative as Jim came up the hill from where he'd gotten separated in the chaos. Jim looked around as people clung to their loved ones.

"I remember my dream now." He announced, face dripping with Walker blood. "Why I dug the holes." Rick looked around and swallowed the despair in his throat.

Everyone was too exhausted to deal with all of the bodies in the dark so, after searching for any survivors, he had them all pile into the RV as best as they could and set a watch with several people at a time. One of the women that Rick had never learned the name of remained crouched, sobbing, over her husband's corpse all night. At the first sign of light everyone was woken up to start going through the dead. Quietly Rick and Daryl approached the grieving woman. Rick kneeled down next to her and gently pried her away, holding her close to comfort her and to shield her from the sight of Daryl gently sliding his buck knife into the base of the dead man's skull. When it had been assured that the man wouldn't be rising again Rick let go of the struggling woman and they left her to her grieving.

Rick refused to allow the Walker bodies to be burned next to the RV like they had before. It was too close to camp. While the women cleaned up camp and performed the basic chores the men ensured that none of them would be reanimating and hauled the bodies to where the graves had been dug. Morales and another man started to haul a body to the wrong pile.

"What are you doing? This pile is for geeks." Glenn demanded, upset. "Our people go in that row over there." He told them gesturing. "We don't burn them we bury them!" When the men tried to argue Glenn just repeated: "Our people go over there!"

"We're Human." Daryl told them when he walked up. "We can't hold onta much of anythin' from before but we still need ta bury our dead. To mourn. Destroy the brain so we're safe and then put 'im in the row with the rest." Daryl ordered. When the two men started hauling the body in the right direction Glenn sniffled and thanked the gruff redneck before returning to his task of collecting firewood for when they burned the Walkers.

"He's been bit!" Someone cried from by the tents. "Jim's been bit by a Walker!"

"I'm okay. I'm okay!" Jim cried in response as the alarmed members of the camp began to circle him. He grabbed a shovel when Rick tried to approach him.

"Easy Jim." Rick said holding both hands out to show that he was unarmed.

"Grab him! Grab him!" Shane ordered circling closer.

"Jim, put it down." Rick told him trying to calm the man. When Jim's back was facing him T-Dog managed to grab Jim's arms which allowed Shane to pull up his shirt showing a perfectly shaped human bite. Jim chanted: "I'm okay," all the while. Daryl cursed earning him a glare from Lori who was crouched with Carl nearby. Rick guided Jim to a seat in the shade and met up with several other group members to discuss what they were going to do.

"I say we put a blade in his skull and be done with it." Daryl told them rather bluntly.

"Is that what you'd want? If it were you?" Shane asked him reproachfully.

"Yeah, and I'd thank ya while ya did it." Daryl told him honestly.

"I hate to say it—I never thought I would—But maybe Daryl's right." Dale said. Rick opened his mouth to clarify but one of the other survivors spoke up first.

"Jim's not a rabid dog, Dale. We can't just put him down. If we start down that road where do we draw the line? He's a sick, sick man. We need to get him help. I was thinking that we should go to the CDC." Everyone started to protest but the man just spoke over them while looking Rick in the eye. "It's based here in Atlanta, if the government would focus on protecting anything that would be it, right? Maybe we could learn more about this thing, maybe they've been able to come up with a cure!"

"Maybe you're right and the CDC still exists, but they'd be at an army base where it's easy to defend and heavily armed." Shane counter argued. He turned to Rick. "I think we should head towards Fort Benning."

"That's a hundred miles!" Lori cried, dismayed.

"It's outside of the danger zone and fortified!" Shane argued.

"The Military were at the front lines of this thing and they were overrun." Rick pointed out. "Besides we didn't exactly live in the hot zone either and home's nothing but a ghost town now." Frustrated Shane asked Rick what he thought they should do.

"We can't stay this close to the city. We should look for a farm or gated community we can fortify and start stocking up for winter. We can start by heading south towards Fort Benning if you want but we should be on the lookout for a place to settle. The end of the world is here for a good long while." Rick told them.

"I still think that we should go to the CDC." The one man insisted.

"You still can, but I have to do what's best for my family." Rick told him before turning back to what he'd been doing before the revelation of Jim having been bit. When Daryl followed his example and went back to putting a pickaxe in the head of all the corpses most of the rest of the group scattered.

"I should do it." Carol said walking up to Daryl as he moved over to Ed's body. "He's my husband." She sniffed tearfully. Daryl eyed her warily before cautiously handing the heavy tool over. The head of it thunked on the ground when she didn't put enough strength into lifting it. She stumbled a bit when she did manage to get it over her head and she choked back a sob as the point came down on the abusive man's head with a squelch. She groaned at the effort as she pulled the tool out and brought it down again. After five or six swings Daryl gently coaxed it out of her hands and led her away with an arm awkwardly placed around her shoulder. He handed her off to a slightly surprised Dale who was quick to comfort the battered woman.

Shane argued with Rick about moving the camp and where they should go while the two men were alone digging the graves a little deeper. The arrival of Daryl with the dead ended the argument rather abruptly. Both men missed the nearly murderous glint in Shane's eyes as he watched them confer quietly before getting to work putting the bodies in the graves. Lori tried to talk to Rick on the walk back from the funeral but he kept his replies short and impersonal. A little while later while Rick was talking to Jim Shane approached Lori.

"You need to talk to that husband of yours, convince him that going all the way to Fort Benning is the best thing." He told her. She laughed self depreciatingly.

"Even if I could get him to listen to me I can't afford to argue with him, not with our marriage the way it is."

"You would risk peoples' lives to fix your marriage?" Shane asked, incredulous.

"People can make their own decisions without bringing my marriage into it!" She snapped back. "It's a habit you need to break." She hissed.

"I guess I'll just add it to the list of habits I'm breaking." He told her. "Whether I like it or not."

"What habits?" Rick asked, stepping down from the RV.

"Just talking about my need for a plan, man. Are we leaving or what?" Shane lied smoothly, with a speaking glance to Lori. "Or we could just stay here, hang some more tin cans. We'll be in a prime spot to be found by the military when they come to retake the City."

"Tin cans aren't going to work and Atlanta won't be reclaimed anytime soon." Rick told him moving to leave until Lori stepped in his path.

"I was just telling him that I think we should follow your gut." Lori added. He eyed them both speculatively, and opened his mouth to respond before closing it without having said anything.

"Let's go do our sweep." Shane offered. Rick nodded and the two of them walked off towards the woods. Dale and T-Dog followed behind them, the two pairs splitting in different directions just past the tree line. Once Dale and T-Dog were out of sight Shane set about convincing Rick to see things his way.

"I don't think people are convinced, man, you know?" He said. "You might be the only person scrounging around for a place while everyone else is safe in Fort Benning. Do you really want to put Lori and Carl in that position?"

"It doesn't really matter what everyone else decides. I have to do what's best for my family." Rick told him.

"And doing what's best for them is exposing them to all kinds of risks raiding and exploring unsecured buildings?" Shane asked.

"As opposed to what? Crossing 100 miles of hostile territory for a probably nonexistent sanctuary?" Rick demanded. He shook his head. "I'll not risk Carl for that."

"And what about Lori?" Shane asked.

"For Carl's sake we'll need to travel together, but we're not in a relationship. That ball is in your court." Rick told him, irritated.

"She was your wife three days ago; did you not love her at all?" Shane accused, angry at how changed his friend seemed to be since waking up from his coma.

"Haven't you already been in a relationship?" Rick returned feigning nonchalance. Shane stopped, stunned.

"I didn't—She was—"Shane started, caught off guard. "We thought you were dead, you have to know that I would never—That I never—"He tried to explain, but Rick was angry and not in the mood to hear the excuses for why his friend and wife felt justified in their betrayal.

"Expected me to still be alive?" Rick interjected. "Well I was. And not that it's really anyone else's business, but apparently Lori wanted a divorce before the world went to shit. I found the legal papers to prove it." The two of them stared at each other angrily for a moment before a branch snapped somewhere nearby distracting them from their quarrel. Rick put up his rifle and gestured for Shane to go one way while he went another.

Shane carefully crossed one way scanning the forest for any threats when his barrel swept past Rick's unprotected back. He found himself unable to resist allowing the gun to linger on Rick's form. It would make things so much easier if Rick was out of the picture. Things would go back to how they had been with Shane in charge and Lori under his arm. The man who had found them wasn't his friend. At least he wasn't the friend Shane remembered. All he had to do was pull the trigger and it would all be right again… Shane exhaled and pulled up on his shotgun, pointing it harmlessly at the sky.

"Jesus." Dale breathed in alarm causing Shane to spin towards the older man who was standing behind him. Shane laughed anxiously and scrambled for an excuse.

"I know," he started breathlessly, "We're gonna hafta start wearing reflective vests out here. Seriously." Shane told him. Dale continued to give him an incredulous look. "Come on, man!" Shane called to Rick who waved. He turned back to Dale as T-Dog walked up to them. "Let's go. There's nothin' out here." He told them walking back towards camp.

Everyone was gathered around the largest fire pit when they got back, they couldn't all sit around it but no one wanted to be too far from the others. When they were all together, Peters, who had put forth the idea of traveling to the CDC, spoke up.

"I know that we're stronger the more of us there are, but I have to go to the CDC. I have to know what this thing is and what they're doing to fix it. I'll take Jim and anyone else who wants to go with me, and I understand if somebody doesn't." He announced. Several of the people that Rick didn't know real well murmured interest.

"I've known Rick a long time." Shane told them from where he stood just outside the group. "We can't know what's going to happen no matter where we go or what we do. But I trust his instincts, so I'm going with him. We won't make you join us, but splitting up is not a good idea. If you're coming, pack up tonight, we'll leave first thing in the morning." He told them before turning around and striding to his tent to start packing. Morgan and Duane followed suit, followed by Glenn and Andrea and Amy and Dale. Soon everyone had wandered away from the campfire to get ready to leave.


End file.
